Noach – Page 14 – Peninim on the Torah

“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood.” (6:14)

The Torah recounts the construction of two “structures” the Ark and the Mishkan. In a lecture to a group of students, Horav Yitzchak Hutner, zl, commented that these two structures can serve as metaphors to describe the disparity between Jewish education during pre-World War II Europe and its parallel in contemporary society. The Mishkan was an edifice dedicated to spiritual ascendancy. All the people who resided in proximity of the Mishkan were “spiritually correct.” They were not exposed to harmful environmental influences which were antithetical to their faith in Hashem and His Torah. Their commitment to the Almighty was not…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5757

And Cham saw…his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers. And Shem and Yafes took a garment…and covered the nakedness of their father and their faces were backward. (9:22,23)

We have here before us a distinction between the two reactions among Noach’s sons, the reaction of Cham as opposed to that of his brothers, Shem and Yafes. Cham observes an indiscretion on the part of his father, and he immediately exploits it. Not only does Cham jest about his father’s failing, but he also goes out of his way to publicize it. He shows no filial respect whatsoever. His two brothers, on the other hand, throw the mantle of love over their father’s weakness; they turn their heads away, so even they would not view their father’s shame. We…

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Sruly Schnair In Noach, 5756

“Noach walked (served) with Hashem.” (6:9)

Regarding Avraham Avinu, the Torah states, “Walk before me.” Rashi distinguishes between Noach’s and Avraham’s spiritual plateaus. Avraham was strong enough to walk alone, whereas Noach needed the support of the Almighty. The Midrash presents a parable from which we can gain a better insight into understanding Noach’s spiritual essence. A father who walks with his little child, while the youngster is still unsteady and learning to walk, must lend his total support to prevent his son from falling. As the child grows older, he is weaned from his father’s support. Noach, ostensibly, did not have the spiritual stamina to…

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Sruly Schnair In Noach, 5756

“They said to one another, ‘Come let us make bricks and burn them in fire.'” (11:3)

The Torah begins the narrative discussing the sin of the Dor Haflagah, generation of the dispersion. Everyone assembled under the leadership of the evil Nimrod, self-proclaimed king of the world, to build a tower ascending to Heaven. From this vantage point they planned to wage war against the Almighty. It seems, therefore, superfluous to mention their comments of, “Let us make bricks.” Do the technicalities of the development of the tower carry any significance with regard to the sin? It is clear that Bavel/Iraq is — as Rashi notes — situated on a plain, where there are no stones available…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5755

“And the earth was corrupted before Hashem and the land was filled with violence.” (6:11)

Rashi explains that chamas, violence, refers to robbery, which had become rampant. Indeed, as Chazal note, the decree of ultimate destruction for that generation was the result of their blatant robbery. What was “unique” about their type of robbery that distinguished it to such an extent and effected their annihilation? The Ozhrover Rebbe z.l. explains that they derived no material benefit from the fruits of their theft. Their thievery always remained within the parameters of legitimacy, since they stole less than the value of a prutah, a coin designated as the minimum standard for theft. They stole for the specific…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5755

“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood, with rooms; you shall make the ark. And you shall pitch it within and without… A light/window you shall make for the ark.” (6:14,16)

Horav Aharon Levine z.l. uses the ark as a metaphor for the Jewish home. Chazal explain that gopher wood is actually cedar wood. As the cedar tree stands tall, towering above the other trees, so, too, should the Jewish home exemplify lofty goals and ideas in establishing the spiritual foundation of the Jewish family. The roots of the cedar tree are firmly implanted in the ground and will not yield even to the strongest winds. The Jewish home must also have its perspective on life firmly rooted in Torah hashkafah, philosophy, rendering it immune to the heretical winds of change….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5755

“Of clean beast(s) and of beast(s) that are not clean, and the bird(s) and of everything that creeps on the ground.” (7:8)

The symbol of “acharis ha’yamim,” the days of Moshiach, is the “wolf will live in peace with the lamb.” This concept has been presented by Chazal as the paradigm of peaceful co-existence that will reign during that period of time for which we pray and yearn daily. Addressing a major Rabbinic conference in Warsaw, Horav Meir Shapiro z.l. questioned the uniqueness of this prophetic vision. What is so unique about the wolf “living” with the lamb? Did not all of the various species of the world co- exist harmoniously in Noach’s ark? If we take Noach’s ark into consideration, the…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5755

“In that very day entered Noach… with them into the ark.” (7:13)

Rashi explains the Torah’s emphasis on when Noach entered the ark. He explains that the people of that generation said, “If we see Noach entering the ark, we will break it and kill him.” Hashem responded to them, “I shall bring him into the ark before everyone’s eyes, in mid-day, so that we shall see whose words will prevail.” Their threatened action is puzzling and seems inconsistent with their words, since they did not believe in the arrival of the flood. In any case, if Noach was credible, they should have listened to him and repented. If, to the contrary,…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Noach, 5755

“The name of Avram’s wife (was) Sarai, and the name of Nachor’s wife (was) Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Yiscah.” (11:29)

Why is it mentioned only concerning Milcah that she was Haran’s daughter? Was Sarai any less of a daughter to him that no mention is made of her father, Haran? The Bais Yitzchak explains that there are various ways for one to establish his reputation in a community. First and foremost is to earn and establish one’s notability in his own right, either through scholarship, virtuous deeds, impeccable character, etc. One only has to mention the name of certain individuals and their stature and good name precedes them. There are those who are recognized only based upon their yichus, ancestral…

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Moshe Marcovich In Noach, 5754

Noach was a man righteous and whole hearted in his generations. (6:9)

Rashi cites Chazal, who differ in opinion regarding Noach’s level of righteousness as compared to Avraham. Some Rabbis explain the phrase “in his generations” to Noach’s credit i.e.; his righteousness would be noteworthy all the more so had he lived in a generation of righteous people. Others feel that had Noach lived in Avraham’s era, in contrast he would not have been notable at all. Rashi’s statement, which presents Noach as having had no relative importance, seems to be a bit critical. True, he would not be as great as Avraham, but he was nonetheless still a great tzaddik! Rabbi…

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“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood.” (6:14)

And Cham saw…his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers. And Shem and Yafes took a garment…and covered the nakedness of their father and their faces were backward. (9:22,23)

“Noach walked (served) with Hashem.” (6:9)

“They said to one another, ‘Come let us make bricks and burn them in fire.'” (11:3)

“And the earth was corrupted before Hashem and the land was filled with violence.” (6:11)

“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood, with rooms; you shall make the ark. And you shall pitch it within and without… A light/window you shall make for the ark.” (6:14,16)

“Of clean beast(s) and of beast(s) that are not clean, and the bird(s) and of everything that creeps on the ground.” (7:8)

“In that very day entered Noach… with them into the ark.” (7:13)

“The name of Avram’s wife (was) Sarai, and the name of Nachor’s wife (was) Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Yiscah.” (11:29)

Noach was a man righteous and whole hearted in his generations. (6:9)

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